Chapter Text
"Mom, it's just not fair!"
The scream of a little boy filled the dining hall, making both the window panes and the huge chandelier above the table rattle. The Queen sighed, already tired of this conversation. However intelligent her children were, her second eldest son was sometimes making big deals out of the smallest things. This time was no exception. No matter how much she tried to chide him into quieting down and allowing her and her children to eat their dinner in peace, he didn't stop complaining. It was endless.
"That is enough, Ajax," she set her fork down with a clink, "Calm down at once. My words are final."
"But mom!" Ajax looked at her with pleading eyes, "Big sister gets to marry a pretty boy but I don't! I want to marry a prince too!!"
That complaint earned him a ring of laughter from his sisters, while his younger brothers continued to munch on their food, sweetly oblivious to their older brother's antics. Tsaritsa gave out a long sigh. It seemed that unless she had given him some assurance, he won't stop wailing. She smiled a comforting smile and took his small hand into hers. "Don't worry, Ajax. Once you are old enough, you will marry a beautiful girl that you will love and she will love you too." These words did wonders. The little prince stopped frowning almost immediately, instead grinning wide. "Can he be a prince, mom? I want to marry a prince, just like big sister!"
Guizhong was the one to speak up this time: "Of course, brother! Your charming little face can have all the princes in the world!" She hugged her brother, who was positively beaming. Tsaritsa smiled softly. She wasn't sure if Guizhong was only being kind or if she actually meant what she had said, but she didn't have the heart to open Ajax's eyes yet. No matter how pleasant the Zhenjun emperors were, she doubted Liyue or other Nations were supportive of a person marrying someone of the same gender. She herself would do everything in her power to make her children happy, but she wasn't sure how to give Ajax this information without hurting him. He was already a broken soul, who's heart needed a lot of time to heal. Tsaritsa didn't want to cause more cracks. She could only hope he forgets about his wish by the time he grows up.
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When his parents had relayed the news to him, Zhongli could only nod and smile politely. He was just twelve, but his parents already married him off to a princess from Snezhnaya. He only hoped the Princess wasn't feeling as miserable as he was. He knew that as an only-child, he had to take on the responsibility of ruling Liyue one day. But, for Celestia's sake, he was still just a kid! What's his father thinking, hooking him up with a girl he doesn't even know?! And his mother, why is she approving? Wasn't she the one to say that love comes with time? How can he even begin to love this girl if it's all staged? Zhongli was so frustrated he almost raised his voice at his parents when he next spoke.
"That is most excellent news, Mother, Father. I look forward to meeting her when the time comes."
His mother smiled, and he almost wanted to throw up. Almost. "I am so happy for you, honey! You will love her, she is just so perfect for you!" His father then stepped up, "From this day onward, your language mentor will additionally teach you Snezhnayan, so you can properly converse with her. As she already knows Liyuen herself, it would only be right for you to learn her language as well. I hope you understand that we only want the best for you, son."
He couldn't look in their eyes when he replied, "Of course I do, Father."
His mother then looked at the big clock sitting neatly in one of the corners of the room. She then called for one of their servants, presumably Ganyu or Shenhe. His deduction wasn't incorrect, mere minutes later, Ganyu ran in, bowing: "Your Highness, how may I be of assistance?" Mother smiled, patting Ganyu on the head which made the latter jump slightly before regaining herself. "Ganyu, please escort our son to his room so he can prepare for sleep. It is very late, after all."
Ganyu bowed again, "Yes, Your Highness. Should I tell Shenhe to prepare fresh bed sheets?" "I would be most grateful." Mother said, her smile widening to the point it must hurt her. She had always been softer around the Tianhe sisters, making him almost jealous. There was something about the way she treated them that felt different. Like she almost wanted them to be her daughters, instead of having him as a son. His mother never pat his head or crafted hair accessories from red threads for him. Shenhe and Ganyu did keep their manners and distance, but it was obvious they didn't mind his mother's fondness at all.
Zhongli only realized he had been spacing out when Ganyu addressed him again, but this time they were in his room. "Your Majesty, please change to your pyjamas. I will go inform Shenhe about the change of your bed sheets. We will be as quick as possible, so Your Majesty can get a good night's sleep." Her tone was the usual soft and sweet one she possessed, with a genuine smile directed towards him. However, Zhongli couldn't bring himself to smile back. All he really wanted was to go to sleep and forget that this day has ever happened. "Thank you for your care, Ganyu. But, can you change my sheets some other time? I'm really tired." Ganyu's eyes widened slightly and she was by his side immediately. "Your Majesty! Are you alright? Are you having a headache? Do you want me to call a doctor?"
"No," he sighed. "Really, I'm just tired. I want to sleep." Ganyu nodded in understanding. "Alright, Your Majesty. Is there anything you want before that?" Zhongli was about to shake his head, before an idea hit him. It was childish, but Mother once said that every idea is a good one, if the intentions are good as well. He decided to listen to her. "Yes. Bring me a piece of paper, a pen, matches and a Xiao lantern."
"Of course, Your Majesty." He could see the silent question in her eyes, but both of them knew he wasn't going to give an answer. A few minutes later, she reappeared with what he had asked for piled in her hands, setting everything onto his bed. Then, she exited his room with a bow, bidding him good night. He sat next to the Xiao lantern on the bed, inspecting the pattern Ganyu picked out. A handcrafted, high-quality lantern with the addition of a great dragon. Zhongli smiled to himself. Ganyu knew he liked dragons.
He scribbled his wish on the paper, tying it to the lantern and lighting the candle within. Opening the window, he set the lantern on the windowsill and it soon took off and flew high into the sky. "If your wish is powerful enough, it will reach the stars and that is a sign it will come true." He sighed, closing the window and tucking himself in the bed. He could only hope Mother was right.
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Ajax sat at the windowsill, looking up at the stars. His favourite constellation, Monoceros Caeli, was proudly among them. He always liked it, it calmed him down. Big sister Guizhong always said that this constellation was one of the nearest to the moon, and he believed that the moon was his Mom. When him and his siblings got accepted by the Tsaritsa, he thought she looked just like the moon, beautiful and caring. That's what led him to trust her so much, because she will never abandon any of them.
This night was no exception, and the moon was shining brightly along with all the stars she cared about. Ajax smiled. This was his home, and it was warm and safe. The time where he was shivering in a little fisherman's house with Tonia, so little at the time, both of them hungry and scared, seemed so long ago. He couldn't even remember his real mom's face properly, just her voice, and it was full of anger. His father's expression was always tired and unwelcoming, but he never screamed at him like his mother did. He never hit him, either. Ajax hugged himself. He shouldn't be thinking about this.
As if wanting to comfort him, the moon flickered brighter and sent a golden star down to him. Wait, golden? Weren't all the stars meant to be silver? Ajax blinked, rubbing at his eyes to see if he had just misinterpreted it. The golden star was still there, and it was flying closer. Ajax climbed to the edge of the windowsill, stretching out his arm as far as he could without falling over and down into the snow-covered forest. Eventually, the star reached him and he caught it with his hand, closing the window and bringing it to his bed so he could inspect it. The star turned out to be a lantern. Ajax couldn't recall ever seeing lanterns like this in Snezhnaya. It looked like it was handcrafted, had a candle holder where its candle was still blazing bravely, and it was made from paper. There was a dragon imprinted on it and suddenly the lantern got labelled 'really cool' by Ajax. Turning it around, Ajax realized there was a paper attached to it. Setting the lantern aside, he grabbed the paper and read what was written on it.
"I wish I can truly fall in love with someone when I grow up."